script and quality
BL OF THE YEAR (until now đ«¶đI think BL delivered everything and more in this first episode, we had quality and a production of another level (which was already expected), the cast of millions and the perfect performance from everyone.
I loved the effect when the Bible went backwards in time (4 minutes) and still managed to run over the woman anyway (but it was destiny).
We as blzeiros won a lot today, because this work is incredible and only increases the level of bls (as the next ones can become, if they have quality and a good production).
Looking forward to knowing what will happen in the next episodes (because this series promises to deliver everything and more), stay tuned.
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This review may contain spoilers
A place to inhabit when the outside world feels too heavy
Amid the flood of BLs built around big twists and intense conflicts, Cat for Cash moves in a different direction. Itâs smaller in scale, more intimate in its approach, and, above all, focused on making the audience feel, even if that means slowing things down and leaning into everyday moments. The premise, which could easily come off as quirky (a debt collector who can understand cats and a reluctant heir to a cat cafĂ©), is handled with surprising emotional sincerity. The result is a series that begins as a light romantic comedy but gradually reveals deeper layers about grief, affection, and reconciliation.Right from the first episode, the tone is clear: there is humor, but it never comes without emotional weight. JeMeowâs death acts as the turning point that drives the entire story, and itâs also where the series shows its greatest strength: its ability to translate complex feelings into simple yet meaningful scenes. Lynxâs grief isnât idealized; instead, it feels messy, contradictory, and at times even uncomfortable, especially when shaped by unresolved resentment.
Within this context, the relationship between Lynx and Tiger becomes the true core of the narrative. Unlike many BLs that rely on external conflicts or prolonged misunderstandings, the development here feels more direct and emotionally honest. Their connection grows through silence, lingering glances, and small acts of care, creating a dynamic that may feel slow to some but ultimately finds its strength in that very softness. Itâs a slow burn that values the journey as much as the destination.
Much of this impact comes from the chemistry between First and Khaotung, who once again show an impressive command of emotional nuance. Thereâs a natural ease in the way they interact that gives even the simplest moments real weight. Tiger, in particular, stands out as an unconventional lead: a debt collector who, far from being cold and ruthless, reveals a quiet sensitivity, especially when it comes to cats or Lynx. Meanwhile, Lynx carries the emotional weight of the story, and his journey toward reconciling with his motherâs memory is easily the most solid arc in the series.
Visually, Cat for Cash leans into a warm and comforting aesthetic, with soft lighting and intimate framing that turn the cafĂ© into a kind of safe haven. Thereâs a clear effort to make this space feel symbolic rather than just functional, a place where memories, affection, and unresolved pain coexist. The soundtrack supports this atmosphere well, enhancing emotional moments without overwhelming them and helping to maintain immersion.
Even so, the series still has its shortcomings. The writing sometimes hesitates to fully develop its own conflicts, resolving situations too quickly and without meaningful consequences. This weakens certain narrative arcs, making them feel somewhat shallow or repetitive. On top of that, the showâs most unique element, Tigerâs ability to communicate with cats, is surprisingly underused. What could have been a defining narrative device often feels like a minor detail instead.
Another aspect that stands out, though not in a positive way, is how Tigerâs cat allergy is portrayed. In theory, it should be a significant limitation, almost a natural barrier to his presence in the cafĂ©. In practice, however, it only seems to matter when the plot needs it to. Tiger spends hours, sometimes even days, in a closed space filled with fur and airborne particles without showing consistent reactions. The allergy ends up feeling selective, more like a character trait than a real condition, which slightly breaks the suspension of disbelief in a series that otherwise tries to ground its fantasy elements in emotional realism.
The pacing can also be divisive. By choosing a more contemplative approach, Cat for Cash sometimes risks feeling stagnant, especially for viewers expecting clearer narrative progression. There are episodes where very little seems to move forward, which may affect overall engagement. Added to this are a few inconsistencies, both in the internal logic and in certain character choices, that, while not entirely damaging, are still noticeable.
And yet, itâs interesting how Cat for Cash still works despite these imperfections. Thatâs likely because its greatest strength doesnât lie in the plot itself, but in how it makes the audience feel. Thereâs an emotional honesty running through the series, a genuine attempt to explore loss, imperfect love, and second chances. Lynxâs relationship with his mother, even after her death, is a perfect example of this: complicated, painful, and deeply human.
In the end, Cat for Cash isnât about grand events, but about small, quiet gestures, the kind that slowly but surely change everything. It may not be the most tightly structured or consistently engaging BL out there, but it is, without a doubt, one of the most sensitive. And for those willing to meet it at its own pace, it offers something rare: a safe, almost therapeutic space where even the hardest emotions can soften just a little.
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The writer seems to have forgotten logic for most of the parts, or we viewers are taken as IQ like those naive FLs in CEO dramas. I'll just point out some parts.
~Identical Twins:
The most important part of the drama is biologically impossible. How on the earth twins with a different gender are identical? There is only one case possible but then girls always have turner syndrome. Oh, please don't tell me about sesquizygotic twins they only share 50% DNA so they can be half identical.. or identical as babies but not as growing teens. (Sorry for starting biology class here.) Though I was impressed by Choi Myung Bin I can't let it slide how illogical it is.
~Sexual Orientation:
First I do not have a problem with the concept of love without thinking of gender, or loving person/human. But I'm very disappointed how sensitive issues like this are handled carelessly in the drama. Ji Woon was more bothered that he fell in love with CP than the fact that CP is a man.. damn how can he not question himself for a single time that his first love was a girl how his preference change overnight.. then he starts to imagine Lee Hwi as a girl, but then says he likes her as a person, not gender.. damn what a mess? I mean we have seen Han Gyul (Coffee Prince) getting tormented in the twenty-first century... we like talking about Joseon Era, but no the male lead should be perfect he shouldn't question his love... even if it looks way unrealistic.
~Attack on CP:
In the envoy drama that happened, his guard u̶n̶intentionally attacked Lee Hwi and he just gets away with it.. okay it that possible? first, it was clear that the attack was intentional but even if it was unintentional how can a mere guard get away after attacking the CP of the nation... it's a very big thing.
The story itself is grand as cross-dressing is on a big level... it's not like she's dressing as a man to become Eunuch, or to get in school or university but as the future king of the nation which is a big thing.
Romance is bland, politics completely sucks... action, is there any? just some bits. The writing is inconsistent, it lacks substance. The king's affection is an absolute example of lazy writing with poor characterization. I was hoping for some great, well-written politics, mind games...Politics, what can I say? probably all budget went over a shot of Rowoon carrying flowers around the palace... as I have never seen court this empty with just a few ministers (sometimes it suddenly has a lot of ministers)... with only 2-3 who can talk. but not it has nothing to offer. I don't think this setup needed 20 episode format as most of the part feels like filer.. even the main thing romance. Love-pentagon most unnecessary thing, it doesn't even create that much tension it should have.
The most problematic character of the series is the male lead Ji Woon.. no it's not like he's a douchebag or something.... he's clueless, legit he has no freaking purpose for his existence other than being a love interest of Lee Hwi. He's a typical nice, goofy guy who does nothing but fangirl over Lee Hwi for half of his screentime. His character is written one-dimensionally... there's nothing particularly interesting in him that makes me root him with Lee Hwi lol
Lee Hyun is more interesting than Ji Woon.. at least he is three-dimensional with different shades, he's not that nice guy all time but can take action when it's needed. I liked Ga On from the very start he has that mysterial aura around him.. that made me take interest in him, generate curiosity about his back story.. and I was waiting for that BIG revelation all time, then when it happened it all goes flat. All mystery they tried to create.. and what was delivered is a disappointment, but I'm very glad they didn't drag him in love-pentagon to make it hexagon. I like So Eun but she has a very bad first impression... It took me forever to get warm with her due to it, but then I adored her. Ha Kyung clumsy, little stupid girl... she's the only person with whom I sympathies in the whole thing, coz she's nothing but an innocent, pure soul who got dragged into this mess... just coz she loved a man, who's not a man.
The best thing about the drama is Eun Bi, she's phenomenal... the Lee Hwi she portrayed was charming. Most of the time voice is neglected in cross-dressing dramas, but we can see Eun Bi also worked on her voice so that she can sound like a guy. This is one of the very few believable gender-benders where FL can pass as a boy... yes her weight, height is not ideal for the role but the body language, her presence, the way she acts... make her perfect for the role.
I adore and respect Lee Hwi, this character had so much potential (kinda wasted with romance)... there were many changes to how she can be a great, wise king but fewer actions prove that. The character growth was less explored due to induced fluff. In more than one half of the drama, she doesn't have a purpose why she remains as CP, king is a good person so power isn't in the hand of the wrong people... but her king gonna lead her grandfather to get power and her becoming pawn in power play. And it's not like that many people's lives are on skate as other than Eunuch and Court lady no one knows her secret. When she gets purpose... as the story forwards it's already too late coz drama has lost its charm.
Music is forgettable... it's high-quality production serving great visuals but the color scheme is bright, not ideal for watching on the big screen as it's too bright.
Don't bother if you are expecting great Sageuk with the realistic portrayal, action as most of the time it's just filer romance with lack of chemistry (I just don't feel anything for this couple) and try to disguise with some bits of action here and there splattered. Apart from Eun Bi and her Lee Hwi, nothing is amazing or mesmerizing... it's only grand with the name and set up but everything is just mediocre.
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Instead of a âwill-they-or-they-wonâtâ plot, which all romance, include Western, does, they show the natural progression of a relationship, through various stages, with all the adaptation and negotiation that it involves, in a very adult-manner. While that could easily be boring, the cast is magnetic, photography stunning, and they really have great dialogue and a lot of chemistry. A *LOT* of chemistry. This series often takes your breath away and a whole sequence in episode 7 is a steamy classic in itself.
You also see a lot of conversations regular shows completely skip over, about sex, jealousy, consent, compromise. The series is romantic and sexy, but also very realistic in the depiction of a healthy relationship.
As a viewer, I was always waiting for the traditional BL mode of throwing a wrench into the plot at some point, but that, thankfully, never happens. Instead, they make a bold decision to, in the last third of the series, essentially switch the protagonists and make the main couple supporting, which gives us a unique opportunity: see the main couple live their happily ever after on screen, because now there are news leads carrying the weight of the drama.
If one criticism is to be made is that there are other two possible couples on the posters and peppered throughout, but they are given little screentime and have very little connection to the main plot, feeling completely throwaway. Itâs not a huge issue, as they donât show up that often, but itâs glaring, especially because the stories deal with rape and are very misplaced in a series that explores consent so well, otherwise.
On the production site, as I mention, the photography is gorgeous and there are many different locations, making the show visually very interesting.
The act is superb and even the supporting actors are on point. There is one weak link in Plan, who plays Can, but the other actor he mostly shares scenes with is so good that balances that out.
I cannot recommend Love By Chance enough. It not just a great BL, itâs a great series, standing tall among Eastern and Western programmes as well.
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Mouse; A Masterpiece or A Mess?
The best way to describe screenwriter Choi Ranâs "Mouse" is somewhere between a masterpiece and a slightly disjointed mess in certain parts.
Itâs wrong to entirely slander that " Mouse" wasnât a good series. Without a doubt, the main cast were absolutely brilliant. ( Especially Lee Seung Giâs hauntingly profound portrayal as Ba Reum, truly defining his talents as an actor.) Additionally , " Mouse" arguably had some of the best character development seen in a mystery- crime series in a long time. The portrayal of psychopaths felt haunting for the most part, whilst main characters Ba Reum ( Lee Seung Gi) and Mo-Chi ( Lee Hee Joon) had some shockingly profound character developments and twists. Even seemingly superficial side characters in the beginning such as Oh Bong-yi ( Park Ju Hyun) and the suave Choi Hong-ju, or " Sherlock Hong-Ju" ( Kyung Soo-Jin), had a lot more to their characters than first meets the eye.
However whilst it would be easy to give this drama a decisive â 10/10â and write it off as flawless , it is undeniable that it isnât without its faults either.
" Mouse" is undeniably a collection of surprising twists and turns which soon become a little disorientating. Whilst rooted in realâlife depictions of a serial killers with a slight "fantasy twist" intriguing plot points soon become slightly predictable and mundane in the latter part. It was almost as though screenwriter Choi was running low on ideas ( despite the endless supply of unanswered questions left open for viewers) and decided to group together a cluster of feverish flashbacks, dismiss more intriguing characters peppered throughout the storyline and manoeuvre deux ex machina solutions for the resulted ending.
So, is " Mouse" actually worth watching from all the hype? This depends a lot on personal preferences. Whilst not flawless and a little clunky in the second-half, "Mouseâ was undeniably filled with good acting, intriguing plot, characters and profound themes.
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This review may contain spoilers
A HEARTBREAKING YET BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED FILM
*Uprising* is a heartbreaking yet beautifully crafted film that takes us on an emotional journey through the friendship of Jong-Ryeo and Cheon-Yeong, set in a time of brutal class divisions in historical Korea. The plot centers on how the rigid social hierarchy affects their lives, particularly Cheon-Yeong, a slave who is forced to endure countless hardships in place of Jong-Ryeo.What starts as a cruel situation, Cheon-Yeong being beaten in Jong-Ryeoâs stead, evolves into a deep bond. Despite the fact that Cheon-Yeong isnât born a slave, his familyâs downfall forces him into this role, and it's his strength and refusal to accept the established hierarchy that makes him stand out. When he begins secretly teaching Jong-Ryeo how to fight, the dynamics between the two change, leading to a friendship that feels genuine despite the social disparity.
However, the film doesnât shy away from the harsh realities of their world. Even after helping Jong-Ryeo win a prestigious sword-fighting competition, Cheon-Yeong is denied his freedom by Jong-Ryeoâs father, who breaks the promise of releasing him from slavery. This betrayal deeply scars Cheon-Yeong, though Jong-Ryeo still tries to protect him by sending him off to fight the Japanese invaders, hoping this will finally earn him his freedom. The film is filled with these moments of hope and crushing disappointment.
After years of fighting, Cheon-Yeong returns home only to find the world he left behind in ruins. Jong-Ryeoâs family home has been burned down by the people who suffered under the oppressive rule of his father. In one of the filmâs most gut-wrenching moments, Cheon-Yeong tries to save Jong-Ryeoâs wife and son from the flames, but she refuses his help out of pride, seeing him as a slave rather than a person who might save her life. Her death serves as a stark reminder of how deeply ingrained social prejudice was, even to the point of self-destruction.
The climax of *Uprising* sees a tragic reunion between Jong-Ryeo and Cheon-Yeong after seven years of separation. Jong-Ryeo, unaware of the full story, initially believes Cheon-Yeong is responsible for his wife and son's deaths. Their final confrontation is tense, but as the truth is revealed, the film shifts focus from their conflict to a bittersweet reconciliation. Just when they finally resolve their long-standing misunderstanding, Jong-Ryeo is mortally wounded in battle against the Japanese. Cheon-Yeong kills the Japanese leader, Genshin, in a satisfying act of revenge, but itâs too late to save Jong-Ryeo.
In Jong-Ryeoâs final moments, he asks Cheon-Yeong if theyâre still friends, referencing an earlier lighthearted exchange from their youth. Itâs a poignant moment that captures both the tragedy and beauty of their relationship. Despite everything that has happened, the film shows that love and loyalty can persist, even in death. This scene is devastating, but it offers closure, showing that their bond was real despite the cruel world they lived in.
On a larger scale, *Uprising* also critiques the corruption of the ruling class, embodied by King Seonjo, whose greed and cowardice lead to the suffering of the common people. His alliance with the Japanese and subsequent desertion of his own throne during the invasion sparks the uprising that defines the film. The subplot involving Seonjo and the infamous Japanese leader Genshin, known as the ânose-snatcher,â adds layers of historical context and brutality to the narrative. In a symbolic twist, Seonjoâs greed is punished when the treasure heâs promised turns out to be boxes of human body parts, noses, to be precise, reflecting the horrors of war and the consequences of his betrayal.
In the end, Cheon-Yeong and a few of his fellow survivors form a new community, symbolically named âBeom Dong,â meaning âA world together.â Itâs a hopeful note to close the film on, but *Uprising* doesnât let the audience forget the price paid for such unity. The film leaves you with a lingering sense that although thereâs hope for change, the struggle against social inequality is far from over.
*Uprising* masterfully balances personal and political themes, offering a powerful meditation on friendship, loyalty, and the fight for justice. Itâs a tearjerker that hits hard, especially as it reveals the lasting impact of societal divisions, even as it tries to inspire hope for a better future.
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If Machiavelli knew the future, had a pack of abs and the world's baddest grandfather...
Listen to me. Before reading this review, I need to ask you a question:Why do you want to watch this drama? Is it because you just want to be entertained by unbelievable but extremely exciting twists at every turn or you want a drama with solid writing, realistic and logical storyline with no plot holes whatsoever?
If your answer is the latter, then our conversation ends here and I would have to regretfully say my goodbyes but if your answer is the former? Then, please. By all means, stay.
Reborn Rich is pure adrenaline rushing, thrill inducing crack of a show that offers you absolute entertainment for all of its 16 episodes.
So let me explain what youâre going to like about this show:
âïž Song Joong Ki kicking absolute ass:
Song Joong Kiâs character here is this brilliant edge lord who is out for revenge, equipped with the power of the future, an IQ of 600 and skin thatâs as smooth as a babyâs butt. While he is not the most well layered character out there with incredible depth or substance, he does excellently deliver your quintessential hot, charismatic and conveniently overpowered oppa character thatâs easy to root for and puts on a great show.
âïž The baddest grandfather alive:
The biggest winning point for me was definitely Lee Sung Minâs grandpa. His character is as vicious as they come. A true anti-hero with the greatest business acumen, greed for expansion and corporate ruthlessness. For all intents and purposes, the grandfather is a character with flaws and yet the one that you will come to love the most. His relationship encompassing love, compassion, respect and at times rivalry with his grandson (Song Joong Ki) is easily the highlight of the entire drama.
âïž Acting and Music:
The drama is complemented with an emotional and powerful soundtrack that beautifully underscores impactful scenes. Moreover, the acting is excellent across the board which is unsurprising considering the veteran cast. I am not the biggest fan of Song Joong Kiâs work and I do believe he tends to only play certain types of characters he is comfortable with but even I have to admit that he really shines in some of the scenes in Reborn Rich. Acting wise, for me this is his best work yet.
âïž Storytelling, politics and the battle of wits:
As someone who is doing her MBA and is an Economic major, I absolutely ate up all the business politics and corporate talk. The main lead knows the events of the future and uses that knowledge to play with stocks and investments so it benefits him. His back and forth with his rivals is so entertaining to watch. The politics and scheming aspect is executed quite well and never gets boring or stagnant.
âïž The controversially out of the box ending:
Ok, so this is something you might not like. The majority of the people hate the ending and I can see why. I, for one, absolutely loved that they attempted to go so out of the box with this one. I wouldnât in my wildest dreams have been able to predict the way the drama ended. Itâs a very brave and ambitious route to take and while it doesnât have the best execution, itâs still a commendable attempt by the writer.
I loved the way the author was able to run the story of a brilliant, young potential heir of the powerful Sunyang group parallel to the poor, desperate employee working at the same Sunyang and let the two worlds coincide beautifully.
Now, letâs go over the dramaâs weak points:
â Romance and the female lead:
This is an unfortunate pattern that most female leads in a Soong Joong Ki drama are mere props with not much contribution to the plot. The female lead is the same here and the actress who isnât given much to work with in the first place, delivers a quite bland and unexciting performance. The couple lacks any substantial chemistry and the romance isnât believable. This is why it has been a relief for me that throughout the drama the love story was just a sub plot and shelved to the back whenever it mattered.
â The Execution:
Like I said, while I understood what the writer was trying to do with this, the execution is choppy at best. You have your favorite truck of doom making quite a few appearances, you have extremely convenient plot devices trying haphazardly to fill up the writing loopholes.
If you consider the way the story flows, it just doesnât have the best writing out there. Some characters arenât given proper development, others are introduced just for plot procession, while others are taken out abruptly or change drastically for the same purpose: to move the story forward or fit a particular narrative. Ultimately, this drama is more focused on the next big thing rather than the nitty gritty's or the development of its characters.
â Ending Thoughts:
This is the drama that you watch if you just want a good time. It has its emotional moments (especially in the way it masterfully explores the relationship between a prickly grandfather and his overly intelligent grandson), its moments of laughter and lots of scheming and fun twists.
Right from the start, it's obvious that the show requires a lot of suspension of belief and logic because it's just not that deep.
So if youâre willing to take it as an easy entertaining journey, then thereâs no reason you shouldnât be immersing yourself in pure Sunyang madness and hatching your own plot to take over the world!
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1This review may contain spoilers
The Story (plus Ending) is Beautiful!
I love the story so much! I would ring Love Alarm's Love Alarm 10x a day!
I love how the story changes from First Love to True Love. It is actually very realistic! These *effing teenagers here* dont understand what is the real essence of love.
And now I wanna explain to all who plans to watch it (you might be spoiled tho) and already watched it on how the story really goes.
It's not that I dont like Sun-oh, he's actually kind of a nice guy, and we can really see he loves Jojo, but you might've forgotten that he took advantage of her because his bestfriend liked her. And continues to break her protective barriers to the point Jojo can't handle it anymore.
If you're a real fan of the show, you should read the manhwa where it contains more details and explains why this happened, why that happened, I absolutely know the drama and manhwa might have different sequences, but broâ they are still under the same writer, still the same characters, still the same story.
So let me tell you that Sun-oh actually admitted that the reason why he chased after Jojo in season 1 is because he knows Hye-young likes her, and wants to steal her away from him. It was also mentioned by their driver that Sun-oh tends to be obsessed with Hye-young's company to the point he doesnt want him to be friends with anybody other than him, even doesn't want to let him save phone numbers other than his!! So that's where Hye-young developed his skills on memorising numbers and being good at mathâwhich led to his future job on being an accountant/stock holder in LA corp. This where comes why Sun-ho decided to tail Jojo, because he is intrigued why his bestfriend likes her so much. So you might wanna throw me your "Hye-young denied that he likes Jojo" card, but you better rewatch LA again and properly read the lines and underlying actions, because it's very clear to me that Sun-oh KNOWS Hye-youngâ his bestfriend AND somewhat like a brother, likes Jojo.
I know Sun-oh wants to do his best to show all his love to Jojo but how it goes creates a heavy burden to Jojo. She gets all the unwanted and (physically and mentally) painful attention, specially from her cousin Gul-mi.
Remember!!! Jojo doesn't have a very great childhood. A survivor of a family mass suicideâwith severe trauma about what happened, bullied by her aunt and cousin, overworked and feeling pressured so that she can pay her grandma's hospital bills and pay her mother's depts, which result to sacrificing her LUNCH MONEY, and forced to eat EXPIRED goods and even results to running laps instead. Blamed by everyone that it is her fault that all bad things is happening, even telling you WHY DID YOU NOT DIE, ( more like telling you to Kill yourself ). Majority of the people watching this show are teenagers, probably because the first season is in a school setting. BUT PLEASE CHECK LOVE ALARM again because it is an 18+ show. (Not all 18+ shows contains sexual content) I've read a comment which they said Jojo is a gold digger, EXCUSE ME??? I bet you're a kid leaving comment hun, grow up first then watch this show again so that you CAN understand what really happened in the story. Jojo is NEVER, and NEVER WILL BE a gold digger. She couldve just asked for a house or a car ot to pay all her mother's depts, but SHE DID NOT. She's even frustrated that Sun-oh paid for her school lunch and other things. Because she doesn't want any help from anybody, BECAUSE she feels and will feel small. And that's actually one of the reason why she was burdened on being in a relationship with Sun-oh and finally installed the shield.
You're blaming Jojo that she broke up with Sun-oh, but you didn't put yourself on her shoes. I bet you didn't even properly follow the story, and just want to watch the fluffs happening between Jojo and Sun-oh, cuz boi-oh-boi this show is not for you.
Hye-young is and will always be the right choice. He is just the perfect fit for Jojo's life and Jojo is just the perfect one for his as well. You all are too focused on Sun-oh's good side and ignored how toxic he became. In real life you will be mad as hell if your bestfriend/like-brother or sister just even stole your crush, let alone kissed them! And dated them! Lucky us, Hye-young is very mature and understanding he didn't even had a chance to show that he is mad and hurting. But thankfully blessed to be given a chance to court Jojo after 4 years! He held it in, endured it and he deserved the ending. They both deserved the ending.
Please take time to think how the actors and even the production staff worked hard to make this show. Atleast give it a good rating. You all are so childish.
And to those who planned to watch it, you should have a mental checklist â you should be mature enough to watch this show.
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Cons - Main character is not that smart. He does not use the transmissions to it's full potential. Could have changed a lot things but he chooses not to and the show does not provide any good explanations on why he would not do anything worthwhile in the whole show ( don't wanna spoil). The cases were very predictable and the only reason criminals didn't get caught is because every other cop other than the main characters are either corrupt or incompetent. The criminals themselves do things that don't make sense. They are smart enough to avoid getting caught for many years but get caught in the end because of something very stupid that nobody would ever do. One thing that pulled me out of the show was that the criminals or victims in the cold cases don't look any different or their lives changed in any way. At the very least, characters who were 30 in the past should have some white hair or their careers or others part of their lives changed in 20 years. Everybody seems to have just been doing the same thing for over 15 years. Nobody moves on or do anything else(ex. photographer).
conclusion - I went in to the show expecting good storytelling, exciting cases and changes with time. I was expecting the characters to use the transmissions more effectively and do something that changes the time or character development. They used the transmission like around 6 times during the whole show. I am not seeing what everybody loves about this show. The only thing I got from this show is great acting, good cinematography, great scenes and bad plot.
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(DISAPPOINTING) DIRECTOR,WRITER BRAIN DAMAGE , TOTAL TIME WASTE ,NO SENSE
Fu***** Mockery!If any other Kdrama team wants to learn how to ruin a perfect drama they can watch RR, i am just so devastated after finale that how someone can turn a really good drama to depression.this is supposed to be based on WEB NOVEL you can change the ending but at least see if it is suiting or not this make no sense
It was all going great for the first 15 episodes which was 94% of the whole show and suddenly they put their illogical reasoning towards finale.
I am with no words right now instead of cursing to put it here.
People who are going to watch this just avoid this to save your precious timeâŠ
I was going to write a 9/10 for this show before ep15 ending and now even wants to give it 1 just because of this finale but because of 15ep have to give it something better ,the writer here tried to subvert expectations with a nonsense ending for no reason but to create controversy and inflate her own ego, and by doing so not only stabbed the novel this was based on but also tarnished what the title of the drama indicated, the main character by going back to his poor body went against what the title of the drama was indicating, "Reborn rich", everything the ML did and experienced on the journey to the end became meaningless, which means anyone who watched this drama to this point has wasted their time too.
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Personally, I think the beginning was very well done. The child actors did a good job within the film, especially given it was such a big part. When it got to when she was older it got a bit confusing I thought, but after a little thinking you can understand. The story line was good, but I think it had a bit too many concepts thrown in. I wish it was a simple "girl returns to grandmother and has to adapt to life" sort of thing, but I understand that for a lot of people, that wouldn't sell. I also don't like how there are hints at romance within it, but then that is abandonned - you should either leave it or put it in. However if that sort of thing doesn't bother you then this film is pretty good.
As I said, the cast is quite good. The young children within the film do a good job, as do the grandmother and Hye-ji. The acting can't be flawed too much, but I don't think it was a perfect performance by anybody.
Overall, I would rewatch it possibly. I think it is a nice film and it does give you something to think about, which I enjoy. It was a good film.
Sadly, I can't tell you where to get English subtitles online. I'm sure they will come out soon. I watched it on a Cathay Pacific flight, so that's the only way I can tell you to get it (nice holiday in HK)
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It doesn't worth the time
It was the worst season of them all. I just caught myself passing through the episodes to reach the end and it doesn't became better. I don't think I'll watch Single's Inferno again if a new season comes in.Some episodes were like 1h and a half of Gwan Hee talking to girls and just random conversations that were not even interesting, it all revolved around him and it was really tiring to watch because the things were in a surface level that don't make us excited to watch. I should have dropped
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Kang Daniel And Chae Soo-Bin Are Reporting For Duty In â Rookie CopsââŠ
â Rookie Copsâ is a sixteen-episode streaming series which has earned intrigue and controversy amongst watchers and drama enthusiasts alike; dispute as a consequence of its limited availability on streaming service Disney Plus, as well as fascination due to its casting choices, setups and characters.
Main female lead Eun-Gang( Chae Soo-bin- â Love In The Moonlightâ, â Iâm Not A Robotâ and â Where Stars Landâ) is a bubbly, optimistic and outspoken individual. Often having felt left out by her parents due to their seeming preferential treatment of her sister Go Mi Gang ( Son So Mang- â Queen Of Mystery 2â, â Mr. Queenâ), Eun-Gang has often felt pressured to take up a career which will gain her parentsâ respect.
Eun-Gangâs prayers are finally answered when she discovers that her first-love has enrolled in the academy in order to become a police officer. Determined to enter the academy in order to get close to him as well as earn the respect of her parents, Eun Gang seems to be living the dream. However, reality, as Eun-Gang soon discovers, can often be harsh.
Meanwhile the narrative introduces viewers to main male lead and Eun-Gangâs polar opposite, Wi Seung Hyun( Kang Daniel). The level-headed and reserved son of top-ranking officer Wi Ki Yong (Son Chang Min- â My Fair Ladyâ, â Pride and Prejudiceâ and â No Matter Whatâ), Seung-Hyun has felt the need to uphold the reputation of his father, ex officio.
However Seung-Hyun and Eun-Gangâs worlds collide even prior to entering the academy. After an awkward first encounter, Seung-Hyun and Eun-Gang are shocked to bump into one another again at the Korean National Police University.
However as the polar opposite main leads become involved with one another on a gradually frequent basis at the cadet academy, Seung-Hyun, Eun-Gang and their peers soon find themselves facing dilemmas, chasing dreams, and struggling to comprehend feelings on the front line of dutyâŠ
â Rookie Copsâ is the creation of screenwriter Lee Ha Na. The same writer behind predominantly melodramatic productions such as â Cunning Single Ladyâ and â The Time We Were Not In Loveâ, â Rookie Copsâ attempted to offer viewers the best of both worlds; a lighthearted youth series through Ha Naâs signature vivid tone, as well as a moody cop drama revolving around crime and emotional dilemmas for the main characters.
Admittedly this was necessary to a certain extent for viewers. Despite a noir-style opening, â Rookie Copsâ was heavily invested with giving an introduction to its main leads Eun-Gang and Seung-Hyun, as well as introduce the other key players to the scene.
In particular these reoccurring characters and fellow students of the academy included apathetic as well as studious Ki Ha Na ( Park Yoo Na- â My ID Is Gangnam Beautyâ, â SKY Castleâ and â True Beautyâ), athletic judo prodigy Kim Tak ( Lee Shin Young- â Crash Landing On Youâ, â Bite Sistersâ and â How To Buy A Friendâ), eccentric yet passionate Woo Joo Young ( Min Do Hee- â Reply 1994â, â My ID Is Gangnam Beautyâ and â Clean With Passion For Nowâ), sprightly social butterfly Yoo DaeIl ( Park Sung Joon- â Sweet Munchiesâ and â Run-Onâ) as well as amiable student Shin Ah Ri ( Cheon Young Min- â Foolish Momâ, â Whatâs Up With These Kids!?â ) and principled youth Seo Beom Joo ( â Voice 2â, â A Piece Of Your Mindâ and â Military Prosecutor Dobermanâ).
In addition to the students, Professor Cha Yoo Gon ( Kim Sang Ho- â City Hunterâ, â Kingdomâ and â Sweet Homeâ), Professor Bang Hee Sun ( Choi Woo Ri- â Queen In Hyunâs Manâ, â Matrimonial Chaosâ and â The Bride Of Habaekâ) as well as Dean Kim Soon Young( Seo Yi Sook- â Youâre All Surroundedâ, â Motherâ and â Hotel Del Lunaâ) played active roles as the reoccurring members of staff at the University.
Nevertheless it was noticeable that the second-half of â Rookie Copsâ shifted in tone in comparison to the first half ; angst-ridden and with a several surprising plot twists, though admittedly a little inconsistent at times due to quick-paced events.
As mentioned previously, Chae-Soo Bin and Kang Daniel star as the main leads of the series and deliver fairly consistent performances throughout. ( It is admittedly praiseworthy to point out that despite Kang Danielâs good reputation as a celebrity talent host and soloist, â Rookie Copsâ marked the idolâs first acting debut onscreen.)
As for the main leadsâ onscreen romance , Daniel and Soo-Binâs potential chemistry is admittedly stunted at different stages of the narrative. In the first-half of â Rookie Copsâ, shoehorned embarrassing scenarios and encounters were purposefully placed to enforce tension and awkwardness between the main leads onscreen. Yet itâs hard to deny that as plot progress, Daniel and Soo Binâs onscreen chemistry is admittedly a lot more natural also.
Then thereâs the supporting cast. Although there were admittedly several moments of overblown dialogue, the supporting cast delivered fairly solid performances. In particular, Lee Shin Young, Park Yoo Na and venerable actor Kim Sang Ho particularly stood out due to their charisma onscreen.
As mentioned previously, â Rookie Copsâ is divided almost into two-halves by its tonal shift; a fairly easygoing introduction ( aside from its initial opening), gives ways to a darker second-half with several unexpected twists and revelations for viewers.
The first-half of â Rookie Copsâ admittedly downplays a lot of initial tension from the opening, as well as future events to come. Instead, â Rookie Copsâ fixated upon character introductions, early dilemmas for the characters and potential setups, before plunging into the deep-end with a pacy and angst-ridden second-half with varying results .
The tonal shift did help to keep viewers intrigued and intensify the climatic events of the second-half. However, this also caused some drawbacks for â Rookie Copsâ also.
Although some of the intriguing counterplots of the series such as the rocky friendship between Kim Tak and Seung-Hyun, Eun-Gangâs gradual maturation as well as emotive themes such as anger, loss and love as well as focusing upon other subject areas such as corruption, peer pressure and corporal punishment, there were several subplots which were admittedly poorly fleshed-out. For example, Seung-Hyunâs estranged relationship with his father and the escapades of other side characters such as Shin Ah Ri were often disregarded during key moments.
Through the directing lens of â Kim Byung Sooâ ( â Queen In Hyunâs Manâ, â A Korean Odysseyâ and â He Is Psychometricâ), â Rookie Copsâ is a fairly slick and glossy production.
Admittedly early episodes of the series seemed to place a heavy- budget emphasis upon frequent cut scenes of the academy; with little variance in tone or schemes. However as the second-half dawned upon the series, â Rookie Copsâ took a different approach to filming by helping to captivate through Byung Sooâs leadership, the emotional tones through gradients and palettes of the characters at different times in the series . ( In particular off-whites, golden hues and blues were frequently shown onscreen during key scenes and interactions.)
The OST of â Rookie Copsâ is predominantly composed of a compilation of schmaltzy ballads and pop tracks. Admittedly with some tracks more memorable than others, LUCYâs contemplative and guitar pop track â Police Classâ from OST Part 2, âTIMEâ, an upbeat song performed by singer Kwon Eun Bi from OST Part 4, as well as Kang Danielâs adrenal-infused tempo song âHush Hushâ featured on the Special OST were surprisingly ear-catching tracks .
The finale of â Rookie Copsâ was admittedly dependent on expectations. Although there was a shocking twist for the audience, the execution of the sudden plot-twist felt admittedly last minute; quickly thrown in to the storyline narrative in order to add edge and surprise , though failing to help impact the characters or the falling action.
Lighthearted, angst-ridden and surprisingly profound at times, â Rookie Copsâ is a series which offered viewers with a lighthearted and sugary coming of age tale, as well as moody crime-drama in parts also. Nevertheless despite some brilliant acting performances and an intriguing setup, â Rookie Copsâ did admittedly suffer slightly under the weight of execution by underdeveloped subplots and several overindulgent tropes. However for those looking for the best of both worlds through both sweet and darker themes, â Rookie Copsâ is a fairly entertaining binge-watch also.
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Enjoying the angst that comes from misplaced revenge.
Call It Love was emotionally aesthetically pleasing. What I mean is, even the sadness, anger, frustration, regret - all were presented in a way that did not make me feel emotionally exhausted and tired. I was relating to and appreciating the sorrow.What the show did an amazing job with was showing different sides of psychological issues - for some people it makes them completely detached from social interaction, for some it makes them forget about their needs, others would focus on the negative emotions as their driving force, some would be able to accommodate their lives around their issues. Depending on the character, their personality and past experiences, we saw all the different sides of how we as humans deal with difficult emotions.
About the cast - we got blessed with some well written and complex characters and well delivered portrayals of them. How the same people could be victims and perpetrators. How everyone had to learn from their mistakes and figure out how to set boundaries, but also respect the boundaries others set. How to understand yourself and be able to communicate with others. How to move on from past, how to move forward with the future, how to find happiness and peace.
Were all the characters well written, with many layers? Not quite. While Ahn Hee Yeon did a good job with her performance, Kang Min Young did not exactly have much to offer except from being yet another external factor the leads had to deal with. Similarly, Choi Sun Woo existed only in the context of leadsâ issues and struggles, and presented no personal plotlines.
Cast wise, Kim Young Kwang ate the role. One of the most versatile actors we get in mainstream shows. Can do drama, action, comedy, romance, thriller - you name it and you will get it in one of his roles. In Call It Love he presented so many raw emotions from Han Dong Jin. Even though the character was not an open book, not the most expressive guy out there, it was still clear for the viewers what he was going through, what he was thinking and feeling.
At the same time, while for most scenes Lee Sung Kyung did great (itâs a role we have not seen her in yet), there were just a few moments where her delivery was too monotone and at times felt empty.
As for the production - I loved it, but I can see why someone else could hate it. The colors were not saturated enough and the whole show was presented in this pink/purple filter. For me, it perfectly fitted the overall mood of the drama, adding to the melancholic and stoic feeling. What also caught my attention was how the shots were centered vertically. In many the characters were presented in only 1/3rd of the screen. For me it seemed like the same way they were not centered in the frame, they were also not centered in their lives - still unsure about their place, a bit lost in their surroundings.
All that said, itâs a typical âyou either vibe with it or notâ drama. The same visual aspects I loved could look ugly and weird for others. The same characters I related to and enjoyed analyzing could be frustrating and unrealistic for others. The same dialogues I found touching, others could see as faking profoundness with no depth.
Why not a perfect 10 from me? I did not like some of the conclusions and I wished a few characters were developed better. For such a complex situation the drama presents, some aspects just lacked nuance.
Overall, I already miss this drama.
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